Directions

Prep

5 m

Cook

10 m

Ready In

35 m

Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth to clean it, then cut into 1 inch pieces, and place into a saucepan along with the water. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.

Bring the kombu to a rapid simmer; reduce to a slow simmer over low heat. Sprinkle in the bonito shavings and simmer a few minutes more until the flakes have sunk to the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and let stand a few minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer before using.

All done! Now take a photo, rate it, and share your accomplishments!

Tips & Tricks

How to Make Authentic Miso Soup

Watch a Japanese chef make authentic miso soup.

The Japanese Pantry

With soy sauce, rice, nori, and a few other things, create the flavors of Japan.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

To make a simple miso soup, I add 1 1/3 cups dashi to 1 1/2 tablespoons of miso paste. Add seasonal vegetables or diced tofu. (I like enoki mushrooms and lettuce; sliced daikon radish and carrots; and tofu with wakame.)

Reviews 2

2 Ratings

cooks4forty

3/31/2011

I tripled this recipe, using 3 ounces of shredded kombu (kelp), instead of the 4 inch pieces called for, and over 2 ounces of bonito flakes (so, I used proportionally more of each ingredient than the recipe called for). I followed the method exactly. It was pretty bland. I added fish balls and cooked rice noodles to make a nice soup, but wanted more from the broth. I don't know if it needed to steep longer, or if I needed more of the kombu and bonito, but it definitely needed more of something. However, this is much better than my amateur attempts at bonito broth in the past, so it has put me on the right track.